Last week Congress adjourned without passing the aid needed for Hurricane Sandy victims. As the nation deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Congress should focus on providing immediate assistance to those in greatest need after the storm. Rebuilding should take place efficiently, equitably, and sustainably, in ways that reduce the risk of future damage from extreme weather without compromising the environment.

Last week, a Shell Oil drilling rig loaded with over 150,000 gallons of petroleum products grounded on an island off the coast of Alaska. This is the latest in a series of incidents proving that Shell Oil can't be trusted to drill in America's Arctic. Last year, Sierra Club members and supporters like you managed to stop Shell from drilling for oil in the Polar Bear Seas. Now we need to make sure that President Obama doesn't let Shell drill this year, either.

Hurricane Sandy left behind not only massive destruction but also a toxic soup of environmental health risks from spilled oil, chemicals, and more. The recovery effort must include efforts to protect cleanup workers from these risks.

2012 was an amazing year for America's Arctic. We stopped Shell's disastrous plans to drill in the Polar Bear Seas and the Obama administration took steps to protect 11 million acres of pristine Arctic wild lands for the first time. But there's more work to do in 2013.